Answers

What should your business voicemail greeting say?

Ascent Vision · Published October 24, 2026

A good business voicemail greeting is short and covers four things: who the caller has reached, when you will call back, a faster way to reach you, and what to leave in the message. It usually takes under half a minute to say. Promise only a callback time you can keep, then check voicemail as you would any inbox, so a message left today gets the reply the greeting promised.

A script you can adapt

Sample greeting: Hi, you've reached [your name] at [business name]. I can't take your call right now. I return every message by [a specific time]. For a faster answer, [text, email or web address]. After the tone, please leave your name, your number, what you need, the best time to reach you, and whether a text is fine. Thank you.

Fill in the brackets with real details and say it aloud. The last question lets a caller say whether a text is fine. Text only if they say yes, keep the text to what they called about, and ask separately before sending any offers. The related answer on texting a new lead covers consent and opting out.

Why each part is there

• Who they reached: your name and the business name, so a caller knows they dialed the right number.
• When you will call back: a specific time rather than a vague promise. The related answer on after-hours inquiries covers what to promise.
• A faster way: one short option, such as a text number, an email address or a web address a caller can remember. Say it slowly.
• What to leave: name, number, what they need and the best time. Ask callers to say their number slowly, because numbers can be hard to catch.

Keep the promise

A greeting is a promise. If it says you call back by the end of the day, set a time to check voicemail before then and return the calls in the order they came. If you cannot keep it on some days, such as a day off, change the greeting for those days and change it back after. The related answer on after-hours inquiries covers replying in order.

Treat voicemail as an inbox

• Check it at set times and clear handled messages, because a full mailbox can stop callers from leaving one.
• Write each new inquiry into the same list as your other leads, and ask how they heard about you when you call back. The related answer on tracking phone call leads covers what to record.
• Once a month, call your business number from another phone, listen as a customer would and leave a message to see that it reaches you.
• If missed calls are still a problem, the related answer on answering services compares the options.

What to leave out

Leave out a long pitch, a list of every service, music before the message and vague promises. A caller who is waiting for the tone usually wants to know they are in the right place and what happens next.

Related answers

• How should a small business handle inquiries that arrive after hours?
• How do you track leads that come in by phone?
• Should a small business use an answering service or an AI receptionist?
• Can you text a new lead or a past customer, and what consent do you need?